New User

Hello, i purchased several of your cheat cards for the lens I have. the basic starting lens 18-55, and i also have a 70-200 lens. the cards are great except i am not sure how to do some of the settings. is there a quick reference on how to change the particular settings on the cards? for example, i have trouble figuring out how to adjust the aperture. also when it says, for example, to adjust the zoom to 18m does that mean just start the lens at the 18 printed on the lens outside or something else?

Comments

It helps a lot to find the complete manual (you can download the PDF from Nikon's web site), and to have it ready on a computer or phone, and then to sit down some evening with camera in hand, and just play with it. Take a bunch of pictures of nothing particular to figure out how the controls work, and where the buttons are, and then erase the lot of them. Change whatever you want to try, see what the effect is, and then change it back. Make sure you know where, in the menu, to find the "reset to default" entries, so you can undo things if you get lost.

When you're using the cheat cards, you'll likely find that they give you a good basic starting point, but they also give you a good platform to jump off of. If the cheat card recommends one thing and you wonder why, try changing it, see what happens, and then change it back.

I don't know whether there is any quicker reference to the basic operation than you'll find either in the manuals or in an aftermarket book, but the specific questions can be answered here.

On the D3300 and its ilk, there is only one control wheel. When you're in manual mode, the wheel by itself controls shutter speed. In combination with the [+/-] exposure comp button on the top of the body, it controls aperture. You'll see the settings in the viewing screen, and also, if you push the "info" button, or have the info screen on, you'll see them there, and you'll see them change as you change them.

When you're instructed to adjust the zoom, it is indeed simply to turn the zoom ring on the lens to the focal length specified. The most common focal lengths are printed on the barrel, and you have to estimate those between. So if you are told to adjust the lens to 18 mm, it means you turn the zoom ring all the way to the minimum on an 18-55 lens.

Keep shooting, keep experimenting, and things will become easier to sort out.

Thanks, btw i used your tips on the 55-200 and was able to get some awesome shoots of the recent eclipse this year. i did not have an actual adapter for it but used a pair of glasses that i was able to see through it safely. they came out pretty good.